September 16, 2024
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Yorkville City Council voting on 5.5% wage increase for Public Works and Parks employees

Police department employees received same wage increase in May

By Joey Weslo
Yorkville Mayor John Purcell (left) and City Administrator Bart Olson (far right) address the City Council at the Aug. 27 meeting.

Yorkville Mayor John Purcell (left) and City Administrator Bart Olson (far right) address the City Council at the Aug. 27, 2024, meeting. (Joey Weslo)

Following negotiations with the union representing employees of Yorkville’s Public Works and Parks departments, the Yorkville City Council is voting on Sept. 10 on a 5.5% mid-contract wage increase.

According to city documents, a 3% wage increase was approved in a bargaining agreement in May 2022. Since then, the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, which represents the city’s public works employees, argued the economy’s large inflationary figures demand a higher cost of living adjustment.

According to the Social Security Administration, which tabulates federal cost of living adjustments, the 2024 cost of living has increased 3.2%.

The City Council previously approved 5.5% wage increases for both non-union personnel and other city unions, like the police officers’ union which was granted in May of this year. Starting May of next year, the police will be granted another 5% wage increase.

If approved, the new memorandum of understanding between the city and the union Local 150 would run through April 2026.

As part of the bargaining, the city negotiated for additional flexibility on scheduling parks employees for weekend field and grounds maintenance work during outdoor sports season, running from April 1 through Nov. 15, at regular wages as opposed to overtime compensation. The tentative agreement allows the city to schedule workers on these weekend days for 8.5 hour shifts, including sometimes beginning at 5 a.m.